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It’s evident from the kid at the drive-thru who thrusts your food at you without so much as grunting “thanks” to the major corporation who assures you repeatedly during your 35 minute wait on hold, “Your call is very important to us. ”
Customer service just isn’t what it should be; it’s true in day-to-day life and it’s true on the Web.
If poor customer service can drive potential customers away, it stands to reason that great customer service could be the competitive advantage needed to garner more sales.
What’s the current state of your customer service? Take the following short quiz and perhaps you’ll discover a few areas that are in need of improvement.
Question 1: How easy is it for your web visitors to contact you?
Shame on you if you’re one of the many Internet businesses that make their visitors search for contact information.
Your contact information should be one click away from any page in your site. It’s easy as pie to accomplish, simply include it after your copyright notice at the bottom of your page or include a link to your “Contact Us” page on all other pages in your site.
Question 2: How many means of communication do you offer?
Minimum, list your email address and phone number. Consider listing your postal address, FAX number, and/or toll-free number as well.
You also have the option of setting up a form so the customer can quickly type his or her question or comment and submit it.
Sign up for one of the “live help”-type services, such as HumanClick . These types of services allow you to chat in real-time with your site visitors.
Question 3: What’s your response time on email inquiries?
Answering email within 24 hours is much more likely to net you a customer than a delayed response time will.
I know someone out there is thinking, “Hypocrite! I emailed you last year with one simple question: ‘How do I build a web site? ’ and you never answered me! ! ”. Yes, I’m guilty on occasion of not paying as much attention to email as I should, but nonetheless, the point is valid: answer your email quickly and you’re more likely to make a sale.
Email is the litmus test for a lot of folks. If they can’t get an answer to a question when the business is trying to woo them into a sale, what’s the service going to be like once they’ve actually made the purchase?
Question 4: What impression are you giving customers in your correspondence?
Since email is the primary way many online businesses interact with customers on a one-to-one basis, we’ll discuss it.
Short, curt responses won’t cut it. It doesn’t have to be a novel, but make an effort to send a polite, personal, and professional-looking reply. The visitor should not be made to feel as though his or her question was an imposition.
Question 5: Do you live up to your word?
Simply put, do you do what you say you will?
If you have a “no questions asked, money-back guarantee”, honor it. If you promise delivery within 2 business days, do everything in your power to make it happen.
Most people are going to take you at your word (written or otherwise) - make sure you can deliver.
Question 6: C’mon. . . what do you say?
Thank you. . . thanks for your business. . . we’re grateful you selected us for this project. Whatever way you want to say it is fine, just SAY IT. Without your customers, you wouldn’t be in business; show them you appreciate them!
So, how did you score? Don’t get discouraged if you didn’t get an A+. This is one area in which it’s very easy to improve, and even small improvements in customer service can make a big difference in your bottom line.
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